>Parliament Street (Central Delhi)
Timings: Sunrise to sunset
Nearest Metro: Rajiv Chowk
Entry: Rs 5 Indians / Rs 100 foreigners
Time required: 1 hour
Web: www.jantarmantar.org
Nearby sights: Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib and Hanuman Mandir
Nearby places to eat: Hotel Le Meridien, Imperial Hotel, Hotel Inter-Continental, Parikrama, Delhi Darbar, Nizam’s Kathi Kebabs, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Domino’s Pizza, Nirula’s, Ruby Tuesday, Barista, Café Coffee Day and the food stalls at Dilli Haat
Lodhi Tomb
Lodhi Tomb is located in Lodhi Garden and is one of the many mausoleums in the city that have been built inside a garden. Lodhi Tomb entombs Sikandar Lodhi as well as the Tomb of Muhammad Shah, Shish Gumbad and Bara Gumbad. Sikandar Lodhi’s tomb is shaped like an octagon and is representative of Mughal architecture. The first garden tomb to be built in Delhi, it has a double dome top and dates back to the early sixteenth century. The fact that the tomb is in the middle of the beautiful Lodhi Gardens is just a bonus. There’s also a small petting zoo. On any given day, one can see yoga classes, take a guided tour, try to catch butterflies or just chill in the shade. There are vendors selling water and ice cream at the gates outside the gardens.
>Lodhi Garden on Lodhi Road (South Delhi)
Timings: Sunrise to sunset
Entry: Free
Time required: As long as you want. Have a picnic under a big tree afterward
Nearby sights: India Gate, Humayun’s Tomb, Safdarjung’s Tomb
Nearby places to eat: India Habitat Centre, Khan Market, Basil and Thyme in Santushti Shopping Complex
Lotus Temple
The Bahai House of Worship is popularly known as the Lotus Temple because of its shape like a lotus flower. Located opposite Kalkaji Mandir, East of Nehru place, the temple is one of the most visited edifices in India, attracting more than 70 million people since it opened, surpassing the number of yearly visitors even to the Taj Mahal. Maybe the temple has such appeal because it is the only Bahai House of Worship in Asia, with 7 worldwide. The temples are also famous for their architectural beauty and 9-sided design representing the manifestation of God and are open to all regardless of religion. Sitting on 26 acres of beautifully landscaped pools and gardens, the concrete and white marble structure was completed in 1986 at a cost of Rs 10 million. The uniquely designed temple, constructed by 700 workers, has won many architectural awards. There is an information centre on the grounds that provides information on different aspects of the Bahai faith, however, it seems to be closed most of the time. The 9 walkways represent the 9 unifying spiritual paths of the Bahai faith. The 9 doors of the Lotus Temple open onto a huge hall that can hold up to 2,500 people. Silence is a prerequisite inside the New Delhi Lotus Temple, so no talking and please put the mobile phones on silent. Also, one needs to take off one’s shoes before entering. There is a shoe collection point and tickets are given. Don’t tell the kiddies that the inside doesn’t look like a lotus flower, too, let them find out for themselves.
>Opposite Kalkaji Mandir, East of Nehru Place (South Delhi)
Timings: Tue to Sun 10 am to 12:30 pm; 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Entry: Free
Parking: Rs 40 (subject to change)
Prayer session timings: 10 am to 10:15 am; noon to 12:15 pm; 3 pm to 3:15 pm; 5 pm to 5:15 pm
Time required: 45 minutes due to the long lines
Nearby sights: Kalkaji Temple and Nizamuddin’s Shrine
Nearby places to eat: Hotel Park Royal; Inter-Continental Nehru Place, Yum Yum Tree and Ego Thai in New Friends Colony Community Centre, restaurants in Greater Kailash I Market
Parliament House
Parliament House was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker, the architects of New Delhi. The building accommodates the 2 Houses of Parliament, the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and Rajya Sabha (Council of States). His Royal Highness, the Duke of Connaught, laid the foundation stone of Parliament House in the year 1921. It took 6 years to complete the Delhi Parliament House and it was inaugurated in the year 1927 by the then Governor-General of India, Lord Irwin. The transfer of power from British rule to Indian rule took place in the central hall on the night of 14 August 1947.
Parliament House is located at the end of Parliament Street in a regal circular building which has many columns as part of its design. It is where the representatives of world’s largest democracy meet to govern the more than 1.5 billion people of India. At just one storey tall, the building—made of blocks of sandstone—is 75 feet high and 570 feet in diameter. It houses ministerial offices, a number of committee rooms and a brilliant library. It was originally supposed to be an extension of the Viceroy’s House (Rashtrapati Bhavan), but was designated as a Parliament House or Legislative Assembly of the country in 1919, with the foundation stone laid by the Duke of Connaught in 1921. The Chambers house Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament), the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) and the Parliament library are attached by galleries. The meetings are held in the domed circular central hall and the 3 semi-circular buildings. The 3 semi-circular chambers are surrounded by a circular corridor or an open verandah with 144 pillars, which along with the 28 m central dome give the whole building a majestic look. Parliament House is surrounded by beautiful lawns, gardens, fountains and waterways. Enclosing the Parliament House Estate is an attractive red sandstone wall or iron grill with iron gates.
Of the 550 seats in the Lok Sabha, 530 members are elected representatives of the Indian states and 20 elected members represent Union Territories (territories governed by the Central (Federal) government). The Rajya Sabha has 250 members, 238 of whom represent states and Union Territories and the 12 nominated members are nominated on the basis of eminence in the fields of arts, sciences, literature and other disciplines. Parliament is in session 3 times a year: summer, monsoon and winter. Prior permission has to be taken before visiting the Parliament House. Indians need to get permission by applying at the Parliament Secretariat and foreigners through their Embassies or High Commissions.
> Northwest of Vijay Chowk, next to the Secretariat buildings at the end of Parliament Street (Sansad Marg) (Central Delhi)
Metro: Central Secretariat
Timings: Entry requires official permission, whether Parliament is in session or not. Visitors can enter the public galleries with prior permission, after receiving an official pass.
Entry: Free, but prior permission required (foreigners/citizens: from their embassies or High commissions/from the reception office on Raisina Road)
Time required: 2 hours
Nearby sights: India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Jantar Mantar
Nearby places to eat: Hotel Le Meridien, Imperial Hotel, restaurants in Connaught Place
Purana Qila
East of India Gate and north of Humayun’s tomb, the Purana Qila (Old Fort) is said to be constructed on an ancient mound, which possibly conceals the ruins of the city of Indraprastha (dating back to 900 BC). It was built by Emperor Humayun and Sher Shah who captured the city before it was recaptured by Humayun. At about one mile long, the 18-metre high walls of the fort have 3 gates and are surrounded by a moat fed by the Yamuna river, which once flowed on the eastern side of the fort. The wall was built by Humayun while the buildings in the fort are attributed to Sher Shah. Unlike other forts built by the Mughals, the Old Fort does not have a complex of palaces, recreational or administrative buildings. Pieces of pottery known as Painted Grey Ware and relics dating to around 1000 BC were excavated from the site. An archaeological museum in the main gate gives a brief history of Delhi and the Purana Qila, and has a few artifacts found during excavation. Visitors should check out the mosque built by Sher Shah in 1541, Sher-Mandal, a 2-storey, red sandstone and marble octagonal tower and boating on the lake. The top of the mosque offers a great view. Purana Qila also has a sound and light show that showcases 5,000 years of Delhi�
��s history. There are toilet facilities and snacks and drinks can be purchased.
>Mathura Road, to the East of India Gate and north of Humayun’s Tomb (South Delhi)
Nearest Metro: Pragati Maidan
Timings: Daily sunrise to sunset
Entry: Rs 5 Indians / Rs 100 foreigners
Time required: Two-and-a half hours
Nearby sights: The Delhi Zoo is within walking distance, India Gate, Humayun’s Tomb
Nearby places to eat: Restaurants at Sunder Nagar Market including Baci, Hotel Oberoi, Flavors in Defence Colony, India Habitat Centre
Boating/shikara rides/water scooter rides: Rs 40 for 30 minutes / Rs 100 for two rounds / Rs 50 for two rounds in the lake adjacent to the Old Fort. It has a separate entry just before the main entrance of Purana Qila if you come from the Pragati Maidan exhibition grounds.
Timings: Noon to 7 pm in summer; 11 am to 6 pm in winter
At the Old Fort, Delhi Tourism organizes a sound and light show every evening.
>Tel: 011 2462 9365; 011 2460 3178
Entry: Rs 25
Timings: Tue, Thu, Sat and Sun; Sept to Oct: 7 pm to 8 pm (Hindi), 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm (English); Nov to Jan: 6 pm to 7 pm (Hindi), 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm (English); Feb to April: 7 pm to 8 pm (Hindi), 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm (English); May to Aug: 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm (Hindi), 9 pm to 10 pm
Qutab Minar
The Qutab Minar, said to be a tower of victory to commemorate Muslim rule in India, is the highest stone tower in the country at a height of 73 metres. Construction of the five-storied minaret made of red sandstone and marble began in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak after he defeated Delhi’s last Hindu kingdom. It could not be completed in his lifetime so later rulers made additions to the tower. Three storeys were constructed by Iltutmush, and the rest by Firoz Shah Tughlak.
Each of the storeys has a balcony with their diameter ranging from 15 m at the base to 2.5 m at the top. It is adorned with inscriptions and elaborately decorated brackets. There is also the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, the first mosque built in India, which is at the base of the Qutab Minar. Inside the courtyard of the mosque is a 7 m high iron pillar. It is believed that if you are able to encircle it with your hands while standing with your back to it, your wish will be granted. However, the iron pillar now has a fence around it so visitors can see and not touch, unless of course they have very long arms. An inscription near the eastern gate notes that the stones used for the Qutab Minar came from the demolition of 27 Hindu temples. The toilets are located down a long passageway near the entrance, and the Western style toilet is relatively clean as it is unlocked only on request. There are a few tables near the concession stand where sandwiches, sodas, water, chips and candy are sold. Snacks are also sold outside the entrance along with film and batteries. Many trees provide shade so a picnic can be had on the grounds.
>Mehrauli
Timings: Daily sunrise to sunset
Entry: Rs 10 Indians; Rs 250 foreigners; children free
Time required: 1 hour
Nearby sights: Mehrauli Archaeological Park
Nearby places to eat: Restaurants along Aurobindo Marg
Rajghat
Rajghat is the resting place of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. His cremation took place there in 1948. The memorial has a simple square platform made of black stone, with the words ‘Hey Ram’, his last words before he died, inscribed near it. As homage to the Mahatma, an eternal flame, in a copper urn, burns 24/7. Enclosing the memorial is a simple low wall. Every Friday, a remembrance ceremony takes place. Gandhi’s birthday (2 October) and his death anniversary (30 January) are marked by prayers at Rajghat. The memorial is set in a lovely garden with trees that bear labels naming the famous dignitaries who planted them. Visitors must remove their shoes when approaching the Rajghat Samadhi as they have to do when entering a temple. Next to Gandhi’s cremation site are those of other leaders: Indira Gandhi (called Shakti Sthal); Rajiv Gandhi (Vir Bhumi); Jawaharlal Nehru (Shanti Vana) and Lal Bahadur Shastri (Vijay Ghat).
>Opposite Red Fort (Central Delhi)
Tel: 011 2332 0005
Metro: Kashmere Gate
Timings: Daily 5 am to 8 pm
Entry: Free
Time required: 45 minutes
Nearby sights: National Gandhi Museum, Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi
Nearby places to eat: Karim’s, Ghantewala sweet shop, Moti Mahal, Lalit Hotel
Rashtrapati Bhavan
Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the President of India. It was the former residence of the Viceroy of India during the days of British rule. Rashtrapati Bhavan was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, who designed the city of Delhi. It took 18 years to build the 200,000 square feet, 340-room palace, which has 54 bedrooms, 37 salons, 74 lobbies and loggias, 18 staircases and 37 fountains. Kids will be in awe that someone could actually live in a structure this big. Rashtrapati Bhavan has a large court in the front and a 145-metre column, the Jaipur Column, given as a gift by the Maharaja of Jaipur stands in the middle of the main courtyard. There is a Mughal style garden in the rear. Popularly known as the Mughal Gardens or Butterfly Garden, this garden behind Rashtrapati Bhavan is designed after the terraced gardens of Kashmir and spreads over an area of 130 hectares. Visitors can access the Mughal Gardens (see Beauty and the Beast, p.14) only 5 weeks every year when it is open to the public from 16 February to 23 March. It has a number of rare species of flowers especially roses, which are found nowhere else in India. The only way visitors can enjoy the inside of Rashtrapati Bhavan and not just the gardens, is by booking ahead for a tour. With the exception of the White House, the Kremlin and Buckingham Palace, rarely can visitors see the homes of their official or ceremonial leaders of countries. Even the Palais de l’ Elysée in Paris is not open to the public. Many of the homes, which also serve as meeting places for official government business, are closed due to security reasons. But this is one of those rare opportunities of a structure that has housed leaders from colonial rule to the present.
>Built on Raisina Hill, western end of Rajpath (Central Delhi)
Tel: 011 2301 5321 to book a tour
Nearest Metro: Central Secretariat
Entry: Free, but permission is required
Special event/Annual event: Republic Day Parade and Change of Guard ceremony every Saturday between 10:35 am to 11 am in winter and 8:30 am to 9:15 am in summer
Nearby sights: India Gate, Parliament House, National Museum, Jantar Mantar
Nearby places to eat: Parikrama, Delhi Darbar, Nizam’s Kathi Kebabs, Bengali Market, Wenger’s, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Domino’s Pizza, Nirula’s and Ruby Tuesday
Red Fort
Lal Qila, also known as the Red Fort was named a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2007. Located on the banks of the Yamuna river, the Red Fort is the largest and one of the most important monuments in all of India and the world’s largest non-functional fort. The prime minister addresses the nation from the fort every 15 August, which marks the country’s independence from British rule. The whole structure is made of red stone. The fort was built in 1648 by Shah Jahan, the Mughal king who also built the famous Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi and the Red Fort was the seat of the new capital. Lal Qila stands at the eastern side of Shahjahanabad and its name comes from the huge wall that encloses the whole structure. The wall is 2.5 km long and the height varies from 16 metres on the river side to 33 metres toward the city. The city was built with 14 gates for people and the royal procession to enter and exit. Just 5 of the gates survive today. The path through the Kashmere Gate, located at the northern end of the Walled City of Delhi, led to Kashmir. Built in the late 1650s, the Turkman Gate was the southern entrance to the old Walled City. It is now in one of the most densely populated areas of the capital. The Ajmeri Gate is one of the gates of Shahjahanabad, which would open onto the western side of the Walled City. Shah Jahan’s mosque is situated in Ajmer. The biggest tourist draw is the huge wall that surrounds
the entire fort. The walls have 2 entrances, one at the Delhi Gate (the southern gateway), and the other at the Lahore gate (named as such because it faces west toward Lahore in Pakistan), which leads to a long covered bazaar called Chatta Chowk. The walls are lined with shops. The Lahore Gate is the main entrance point of the fort. Chandni Chowk, one of the most bustling markets in Delhi, is across from the gate.
There are 3 museums at the Red Fort. The Indian Archaeological Museum, Indian War Memorial, Swatantra Sanghralaya and Senani Smarak contain artifacts from the Mughal period to India’s freedom movement. The Archaeological Museum displays a collection of objects from the Mughal period and old maps, engravings, arms and paintings from that period (see Make the Most of Museums, p.90). A new 400 car parking lot for private cars makes visiting the Fort much easier. Since visitors are not allowed to enter through Delhi Gate, free shuttle buses take visitors from the parking lot to the Lahori Gate entrance of the fort. Car parking is Rs 10 and Rs 5 for scooters and motorcycles.
>Old Delhi, banks of Yamuna river (Old Delhi)
Metro: Chandni Chowk
Tel: 011 2327 3703 (Archaeology); 011 2327 5569 (Arms and weapons)
Timings: Tue to Sun 9:30 am to 4:30 pm
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